Research summary

The research in our laboratory focuses on developmental and activity dependent changes in the molecular organisation and function of glutamate and GABA receptors in the central nervous system. These receptors are thought to be involved in events such as synapse formation, learning and memory, as well as neuronal plasticity and disease processes.

Molecular mechanisms of neuronal plasticity

The amino acid glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), and it exerts its physiological effects by binding to a number of different ionotropic (ligand-gated ion channels; Figure 1) and metabotropic (G-protein-coupled) glutamate receptors. In addition to ...